Senior citizen spends life savings on scooter: Vancouver man steals it

86-year-old Bill Confiss spent almost his entire life savings, $4,000, on a brand new scooter to help him get around downtown Vancouver.

He has only had the scooter for two months, but it was stolen this week after a moment of what Confiss calls a “normal act of stupidity.”

Confiss was at an intersection along Kingsway, on his scooter, when he was approached by a man who expressed interest in the machine.

“He said ‘may I take a ride around the block?'” says Confiss.

He asked for some collateral, and the man gave him the chain around his neck and told Confiss that was his house key.

“So I accepted it,” he says. “He got into the scooter and he never came back.”

Confiss waited for about half an hour and when the man didn’t return, he came home. “I kicked myself in the butt,” he says.

He called the police the next day, and Confiss says he is sure they think he is just the stupidest person in the world. Police have not been able to find the man at this time.

He says the thief was medium height, part aboriginal, and wore a hat, in his late 40’s or mid 50’s, but he doesn’t remember much else.

“Please return my scooter,” said Confiss. “I need it, I can’t walk, I have to use a wheelchair now.”

The scooter is red in colour with a canopy, the make is a Shop Voyager, model 778S, with the serial number 17828BC9A0007.

Confiss says this scooter was a like a lifeline for him. “It means the ability to go out and be in relative safety with no danger of falling,” he says.

“I could go to Stanley Park for the afternoon, sit under a tree, read a book.”